Vehicle-wheel.



No. 792706. PATENTED JUNE 20, 1905.

H. E. IRWIN.

VEHICLE WHEEL.

APPLIOATION FILED NOV.11, 1903.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

v PATENTED JUNE 20, 1905. H. E. IRWIN.

VEHICLE WHEEL.

APPLIOATION FILED NOV. 11, 1903.

2 SHBBTSESHEET 2.

ivrrnn STATES Patented. June 20, 1905.

HERBERT E. IRWIN, OF GALESBURG, ILLINOIS.

VEHICLE-WHEEL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 792,706, dated June 20,1905, Application filed November 11,1903. Serial No. 180,656.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that LHERBERT E. IRWIN, acitizen of the United States,residing at Galesburg, in the county of Knox and State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Vehicle-VVheels; and Ido hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appcrtains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to vehicle-wheels, and has especial reference tocertain improvements in the construction of hubs and the application ofspokes thereto.

The primary object of my invention is to construct a wheel so that thespokes when loose may be tightened by simply the application of awrench, thereby avoiding the loss of time and expense incident to theresetting of a tire upon a wheel.

Another object of my invention is to construct an adjustable spokedwheel which will permit the use of a special one-part channeled woodrim.

A further object of the invention is to construct a wheel havingadjustable staggered spokes.

Another object of the invention is to construct an adjustable spokedwheel, whereby its repairing is facilitated.

Still another object of my invention is to construct an adjustablespoked wheel to prevent it from bowing, which is often caused by theshrinking of the metallic tire too tightly upon the wheel.

These and such other objects as shall hereinafter appear are attained bythe devices shown in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1represents a vertical longitudinal section of a wheel-hub with a portionof the spokes shown in side elevation; Fig. 2, a crosssection of a rimand pneumatic tire withthe outer end of a spoke shown in side elevationengaged therewith; Fig. 3, a vertical crosssection on line a a, Fig. 1;Fig. 4:, a vertical longitudinal section of a wheel-hub with a portionof the staggered spokes shown in side elevation; Fig. 5, a cross-sectionof a wood felly and metallic rim with the ends of the staggered spokesshown in side elevation; Fig. 6, an end view of the hub and spokes shownin Fig. 1.

Reference being had to the drawings and numerals thereon, 1 indicatesthe inner section or main part of a wheel-hub possessing a conicallyshaped center and having outer threaded portions, with which engageconcentric threaded collars 2 and 3, which in turn abut against sideretaining-rings 4, the same being used to receive and support spokes 8,the bases of which rest upon the conicallyshaped portion of section 1.The ends of section 1 have threads on their inner sides, with whichball-cups 5 engage, which possess locknuts 6. I/Vashers 7 are placedbetween ballcups 5 and abutments on section 1. Wedges 9 are driven inbetween the spokes and are used to give them a firm seating in the hub.The outer ends of spokes 8 engagea one-part channeled wood rim 10, whichhas Wire 12 wrapped in its channel. The wood rim is strengthened byrivets 13.

11 is a detachable double-tube tire, which is not a part of thisinvention.

Referring to the staggered spoked wheel, 14: indicates the inner tubularsection or main part of the wheel-hub, the ends of which are providedwith exterior threaded portions, which engage concentric collars 15. 18is a cylinder having inner right and left hand threads adapted to engageconically-shaped sleeves 19, which rest upon the inner section 1 1.Cylinder 18 and collar 15 abut against side retaining-rings 16 and 17,which conform to the general direction of the staggered spokes 20, thebases of which rest upon the conically-shaped surfaces of sleeves 19.Wedges 21 are arranged to fit inbetween the spokes. The wheel isprovided with an ordinary wood felly 22, having a metallic tire 23fitted thereon.

Referring to the type of wheel shown in Fig. 1 and assuming that thespokes need tightening, I first apply a suitable wrench to collar 3 andslack it back and then apply a wrench to collar 2 and force the spokesup the incline on section 1 until they are properly tightened, when Ican tighten up collar 3 and force ring 4 tightly against the spokes. Inmaking this adjustment it will be observed that the spokes movesidewise, which would destroy the proper tracking of the wheel. Toovercome this objection, I have provided adjustable ball-cups, which maybe moved in or out by taking washers 7 out of one end and putting themin the other. The washers may be placed between the ball-cup and theballcup lock-nut. These ball-cup adjustments will effect the proper gagefor the wheels.

The nature of the wheel bearing or journal is not a feature of thisinvention, as any suitable type may be used.

I have shown in Fig. 4 an adjustment whereby staggered spokes may betightened in a wheel. This adjustment is effected by slacking off thecollars 15 and applying a wrench to cylinder 18, which will force theconicallyshaped sleeves 19 apart and the spokes out. The collars 15 maythen be tightened again.

I preferably do not use bolts in the construction of my wheel, as nutsare likely to lose off, and a much neater looking wheel can be madewithout them.

H eretofore a one-part channeled wood rim, such as I have shown in Fig.2, was only applicable to a wire-spoked wheel; but with my adjustablespoked wheel such a rim may be used in connection with wood-spokedwheels. Wheels having endless solid-rubber or pneumatic tires alsorequire wheels of a given diameter, so that wheels of this descriptionheretofore when loose could not be tightened without destroying thevalue of the tire or rim. It will therefore be seen that an adjustablespoked wheel is very essential to a one-part wood rim or an endlessrubber tire. I have placed wire 12 within the channel of the onepartwood rim to prevent its expanding when the spokes were being tightenedby the adjustable hub.

The usual practice in tightening a wheel when loose has been to removethe metallic tire, shorten it, and to place it hot on the folly, thusmaking the wheel smaller and which sometimes has the effect of bowingit. While this practice is fairly satisfactory, it requires considerabletime and expense. It is very difficult to reset metallic channeled tireswith rubber tires thereon, especially when the rubber tires are somewhatworn, as they are likely to be spoiled when being replaced. With a wheelequipped with my spoke adjustment the time, labor, and expense requiredto repair the wheel is reduced to a minimum.

I do not restrict myself to the material used in the spokes. The spokesmay be solid metallic or tubular metallic; but I prefer wood ones.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is-

1. In a vehicle-wheel, the combination with the spokes. of a hub havinga concentric section therein provided with a tapering surface thereon,the bases of the spokes being arranged to rest upon the said taperingsurface, means for forcing the spokes up the incline of the taperingsurface whereby said spokes may be tightened in the wheel, and wedgesseparating the spokes wholly from each other and operatinglongitudinally toward the center of the hub when taking up play betweenthe spokes, substantially as described.

2. In a Vehicle-wheel, the combination with the spokes, of a hub havinga tapering section therein adapted to support said spokes, collarsarranged to abut against retaining spokerings, and wedges lying betweenthe said retaining-rings between the spokes preventing said spokeswholly from touching each other and operating longitudinally toward thecenter of the hub when taking up play between the spokes, substantiallyas described.

' 3. In a vehicle-wheel, the combination with the spokes, of a hubprovided with a tapering section, the bases of the spokes being arrangedto rest upon the said tapering section, the said wheel having achanneled wood rim with wire wrapped therein so that when the spokes areforced up the incline on the tapering section the rim is prevented fromexpanding, substantially as described.

I. In a vehicle-wheel, the combination with the spokes, of a hub havinga tapering sleeve, the bases of the said, spokes being arranged to restupon the tapering sleeve, and means for moving said sleeve laterallywhereby the spokes are forced radially outward and are tightened in thewheel, the inner ends of said spokes being wholly separated by wedgesarranged to operate longitudinally toward the center of the hub whentaking up play between the spokes, substantially as described.

5. In a vehicle-wheel, the combination with the spokes, of a hubprovided with two concentric sleeves having conically-shaped surfacesthereon, the bases of said spokes being arranged to rest upon the saidsurfaces, and means for forcing the spokes up the incline on saidsleeves whereby the spokes may be tightened in the wheel, substantiallyas described.

6. In a vehicle-wheel, the combination with staggered spokes, of a hubprovided with two concentric conically-shaped sleeves, the bases of saidspokes being arranged to rest upon the surfaces of said sleeves, andmeans for forcing the spokes up the incline on the conically-shapedsleeves whereby the spokes may be tightened in the wheel, substantiallyas described.

7. In a vehicle-wheel, the combination with the spokes, of a hubcomprising an inner tu- IIO bular section, outer concentric collars,retaining-rings for the spokes, two comically-shaped sleeves and acylinder engaging said sleeves, so that by revolving the cylinder theconicallyshaped sleeves are forced apart thereby tigl1t ening the spokesin the wheel, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HERBERT E. lRWIN.

Witnesses A. S. HAMILTON, J. H. LOSEY.

